


Sick and Tired

by Cordelia69



Series: Love above all else [6]
Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-09
Updated: 2016-08-09
Packaged: 2018-08-07 19:04:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7726222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cordelia69/pseuds/Cordelia69
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the messenger arrives at the Palace, Aramis knows his family needs him.</p>
<p>Season 3 Spoilers. Slightly AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sick and Tired

**Author's Note:**

> Once again I need to thank my amazing beta [Skep](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Skep) for the help, the patience and the chats we have about every word I write.

The messenger arrives at the Palace as soon as Aramis steps outside of the throne room.  
“Minister D'Herblay! Minister D'Herblay! An urgent message from the Garrison!” the boy says.

Aramis’ blood freezes in his veins. “What happened?” he asks, gripping the folded parchment.

“Madame D’Artagnan didn't say. She only asked me to bring this to you and to say it’s urgent,” the cadet explains.

Aramis opens the message and shivers run down his body. “Luc, prepare my horse. Now!” he orders the valet.

“Go along and inform Madame I am on my way,” he says to the young soldier in front of him. He then turns, reentering the room he just left.

\-------------------

Aramis dismounts before his mare is completely still and the first person he sees is Constance.

  
“You're here, finally,” she says, hugging him.

  
“Where is he?” he asks, hugging her back.

  
“Follow me,” she replies, turning in the direction of the Captain's office.

  
As soon as he steps inside he has a pair of arms around him.

  
“Finally. I didn't know what to do,” Athos whispers in his neck.

  
“How is she?” he whispers back.

  
“She has a high fever. Lucie brought her here as soon as she woke up from her nap,” the Captain explains, receiving a nod from Aramis. “She did well.”

  
He approaches the bed where the little girl is.

  
“Hey baby, dada is here,” he says to her, running a hand through her blonde hair. She curls up against him and he cradles her in his arms. She's sweating and his doublet is soaked in a couple of minutes. He rocks her gently, humming a lullaby when she moans in distress.

  
“Constance, can you please boil some water? When it's ready put a spoon of saffron in it and stir it. Athos, bring a bowl of fresh water and a cloth. I need to bring the fever down,” he orders. The two slips outside leaving Aramis with Emma.

  
Athos comes back some minutes later, carrying a bowl and some clean cloths. Aramis is still cradling their daughter, the humming now the words of an old carol he heard Aramis sing before . He puts the items on the floor near the bed and sits next to them, running a hand through Emma's hair. Aramis looks up, concern in his eyes, words forming on his lips.

  
“She’ll be alright,” Athos answers before Aramis could form a proper question.

The minister nods, shifting his gaze from his lover to his daughter. “She's so small,” he whispers, stopping the lullaby for a moment.

  
“But she's strong like her father,” the Captain replies.  
Aramis nods again, laying down the little girl. He then dunks the cloth in the water, wrings it out, and puts it on Emma's forehead. The baby wriggles from the cold water but Athos picks her up and cradles her again.

Aramis dunks the cloth, wrings it and puts it on her forehead again and again, while Athos cradles her and soothes his daughter when she wants to escape from the cold sensation.

  
Constance arrives with the saffron tea, but at first, she stays out of sight, watching the two men and the baby. They can be lethal when they want, but right now she sees who they truly are, parents worried for their daughter. She clears her voice before stepping in and she sees a look of gratitude from both of them, especially when they spot the tea.

  
“I don't know how you want her to take it so I put it in a glass, and brought a bottle and a spoon,” she says, putting the tray on the Captain's desk.

  
“The spoon is perfect. She needs to take one spoon of that every hour. Thank you, Constance,” Aramis says, a little smile on his lips. She nods and turns, heading for the door.

  
“You can stay if you want,” Athos says.

  
“I have a lot of things to do, and I think you have all in hand here,” she excuses herself, smiling at them before disappearing outside.

Aramis stands up, taking the glass and the spoon and returns to the bed. He dips the spoon in the tea, taking a small portion and bring it to Emma's lips. She sips it, making a face when she tastes the strange flavor, but sinks in her father's arms and sleep.

\------------------

They pass most of the day and the whole night closed in the office, none of them sleeping, taking care of their little baby. They don't talk much, sharing only some words to settle Emma when she's distressed. But they touch each other, a lot, switching places to cradle the baby girl. Constance comes and goes, bringing food and drink for them and the lukewarm tea for Emma, and to see if they need some help or something.

It's only when the sun is rising and they're going to give up and sleep that Aramis touches Emma's forehead and sighs a breath of relief. “The fever has broken”.

Athos smiles, standing up from his place on the bed, and undress to only his shirt and smalls, climbing back in the bed. He takes his daughter in his arms once again while Aramis undresses too, and when they're finally stretched out, they lay Emma between them, falling asleep immediately.

  
Constance slips inside the office some hours later, finding Emma sitting on the bed between her deeply sleeping fathers. She smiles, scooping the baby up. “Why don't we let them sleep a little more while we find some milk and biscuits for you?” she says to the little girl who babbles at her happily.

They leave the two men sleeping peacefully.

  
When Athos wakes up the first thing he notices it's the empty spot beside him and he panicked.

  
“Aramis! Aramis! Wake up! Emma is not here!” he hisses, shaking his lover. Aramis has only time to open one eye before he bolts upright worried. They scan the office, searching the armory and the other room as well, but finding nothing. Athos puts his pants and boots on, determined to go outside and asks if one of his men saw his daughter, when the front door opens, revealing Constance with a healthy and beaming Emma in her arms.

The two men stare at the girl, and when Constance sees the confusing looks from the minister and the Captain, she explains. “I came here early and she was sitting playing with her doll. I thought to leave you to sleep while I fed her and took care of her. She doesn't seem to have a fever and it's so good and warm outside that I thought it could make her feel even better.”

  
Aramis smiles, taking Emma from the woman in front of them, “Constance, don't worry. You did well. But next time leave us a note if you kidnap our daughter.”


End file.
